Binder



Jan. 23, 1934.

E. \E. USHER BINDER Filed June 16, 1933 Patented Jan. 23, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

This invention relates to binders; and it comprises a binder adapted to bind a pile of loose sheets or pages having perforations in their edges into a permanent unitary assemblage, the binder comprising in combination a stiif flat backing strip adapted to be laid along the edge of the pile of loose sheets over the perforations, a plurality of doubled, thin, flexible metal ribbons adapted to be looped around the said backing strip and of sufficient length to extend through the pile of sheets and out the other side and folded, and a plurality of retaining plates each having a tongue adapted to be inserted in the perforations between two ends of a ribbon and having tabs adapted to be folded over the bent ends of the ribbons, securely and permanently retaining the ribbons and the retaining plate in place; all as more fully hereinafter set forth and as claimed.

It is often desired to bind a pile of loose pages or sheets such as ledger sheets intopermanent book form. While in the case of light paper and a small number of sheets, cords, staples or the like may be used satisfactorily, with a thick pile of large, heavy pages a more durable and substantial binder is necessary. It is desirable that the binder give support to the bound book, and that it should be flexible, permitting the book to be readily opened. In addition, the binder should be readily adaptable for use with different thicknesses of paper piles and with perforations of varying shapes and spacings.

All these desiderata I achieve in the present invention.

In the accompanying drawing is shown, more or less diagrammatically, one form of a specific embodiment of my invention. In these showings,

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a pile of papers bound into unitary assemblage with my binder,

Fig. 2 is a section taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a section of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the backing strip and looped ribbons,

Fig. 5 is a view looking down on the top of the binder fastening means,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one form of retaining plate,

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of another form of retaining plate, and

Fig. 8 is a view showing different types of perforations in the sheets.

In these showings, in which like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, numeral 1 denotes a pile of loose taken along the line 3-3 or separate pages which are bound together by the improved binder. These sheets have, along one edge, perforations 2 of any suitable shape or size but advantageously of a shape and size permitting snug passage of the ribbons. Two types of perforations suitable for use with the binder are shown in Fig. 8, one being circular and the other oblong.

My binder comprises a backing strip 3 of relatively stiff metal and a plurality of looped, readily severable, pliable, metal ribbons 4 adapted to be looped around and retained on the backing strip .(see Fig. 4). The two itongues 5 of the doubled ribbon are adapted to be passed through the perforations in the pile of sheets and to extend some distance'above the pile. As shown in Fig. 1, the edge 6 of a' cover '7 of cardboard or, the like may be interposed between the backingv strip and the lower side of the pile. The upward extending ends of the looped ribbons are bent flat against the top of the pile. As shown in Fig. 1, the edge of a cover 7 may be retained under the bent ends of the looped ribbons. The plate is advantageously madeup from a flat piece of thin metal of a general T-shape, bent into the form shown in Fig. 6, one extension of the T- shaped piece being bent across the arms of the T-shaped piece about half way and then bent downward to form the projecting tongue, as shown, the ends of the arms forming the tabs. An alternative form of retaining plate, useful in some relations, is shown in Fig. '7. The top of the plate is a flat'piece of relatively thick metal, usually iron or soft brass, and the tongue is a strip of thin, flexible, readilyseverable metal similar to the material in the ribbon tongues. The tongue has a base portion 11 which is soldered, riveted, or otherwise suitably attached to the flat piece. In this formo-f retaining plate the tongue, being flexible, bends readily when the boo-k is opened and closed. Instead of having tab portions at both ends of the retaining plate I sometimes provide a tab on one end only. This modification is illustrated in Fig. 7. The flexible tongue construction may, of course, be used with double-tabbed as well'as with single tabbed plates.

The retaining plate is adapted to be laid overthe flat laid ends of the ribbon, the tongue ex tending between the tongues of the ribbon and spreading them slightly (see'Fig. 2). The ends of the ribbon are then bent back over on top of the plate and are'cut oif flush with the sides of the plate as shown in Fig. 5. The tabs of the retaining plate are adapted as shown to be 110 bent down over the ends of the ribbon, retaining them firmly in unitary assemblage.

In binding a pile of papers with the binder, I proceed as follows: The backing strip 3, with or without the interposition of a cover, and having a number of ribbons 4 equal to the number of perforations in each sheet, is laid upon the back of the pile of sheets, the tongues of the ribbons being inserted through the appropriate perforations. The ribbons are long enough so that a generous excess length of tongue extends from the top of the pile. If the ribbons are too long for accommodation of the retaining plate they are cut off to the proper length. A suitably perforated edged cover may or may not be used; if used, it is laid over the projecting tongues.

The projecting tongues are bent flat against the top of the pile or the cover edge (see Fig. 2). Over these flat-laid ends the retaining plate is laid, the tongue being forced between the tongues in the perforation, spreading the tongues slightly. Then the tongues are bent back over the retaining plate (see Fig. 2), and the tongues cut off flush with the edge of the retaining plate by means of scissors or the like. The tabs of the retaining plate are bent down flat over the ends of the tongues.

This completes the binding operation. The finished binding is shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 5.

It will be seen that the fastening means for securing the ends of the doubled ribbon provide a very secure connection. Each tongue of the doubled ribbon is folded twice, once when it is bent at right angles as it comes out of the perforation so as to lie flat against the top of the pile, and a second time where it is doubled over the retaining plate. In addition, the bent-over ends of the doubled ribbon are securely held by the tabs of the retaining plate. Thus, a much better fastening is secured than in cases where the ribbon is bent but once; that is, in ordinary staple binding or in binders using staples and washers. The additional security of my fastening means is most appreciated in the case of large piles of heavy sheets. My binder is strong and durable and shows no tendency to become loose.

The backing strip serves to stiffen the bound edge of a pile of sheets bound with the binder. Because of this backing strip, a cover for the pile may be dispensed with in many cases, as the bound pile supported by the backing strip is sufficiently rigid. The backing strip is particularly useful where the book is large and thick, and where no cover is used. With a book consisting of only a few sheets, or when a stiff backer or covers are used, the backing strip may be omitted, the flattened looped portion of the doubled ribbons retaining the ribbons in place against the bottom page or sheet.

What I claim is:

1. A binder adapted to bind a pile of loose sheets having perforations adjacent their edges into a permanent assemblage, comprising in combination a backing strip, a plurality of doubled, thin, flexible metal ribbons adapted for attach ment to the backing strip and having tongues of sufficient length to extend through the perforations of the pile of sheets with suflicient excess length to allow the extending extremities to be bent flat against the top of the pile and folded over, a plurality of retaining plates each having tongue means adapted to extend into the perforations between the halves of the doubled ribbon, the plate being adapted to lie over the fiat-laid ends of the double ribbon, the extremities of the ribbon being foldable back on top of the plate, the plate having tab means adapted to be folded over the bent-back ends of the ribbon to securely retain the ends of the ribbon, thereby permanently binding the pile of sheets together.

2. A binder adapted to bind a pile of loose sheets having perforations adjacent their edges into a permanent assemblage, comprising in combination a backing strip, a plurality of doubled, thin, flexible metal ribbons adapted to be looped over the backing strip, a plurality of retaining plates adapted to be laid over the perforations, each having tongue means adapted to extend into the perforations and foldable tabs, the ribbons having tongues of sufficient length to extend through the perforations of the pile of sheets with sufficient excess length to allow the extending portions'to be bent flat against the surface of the pile beneath the retaining plate and to be bent back over the top of the retaining plate, the extremities of the ribbon being cut off substantially flush with the edges of the plate, the tabs being folded over on top of the ends of the ribbon, firmly securing the ends of the ribbon, the ribbons in combination with the backing strip and the retaining plates serving to bind the pile of sheets into permanent assemblage.

3. A binder adapted; to bind a pile of loose sheets having perforations adjacent their edges into a permanent assemblage, comprising in combination a plurality of doubled, thin, flexible metal ribbons having retaining means at the doubled portion larger than the perforations, the ribbons having tongues of sufficient length to extend through the perforations of the pile of sheets and to extend above the pile, and a plurality of retaining plates each having tab means and wedge tongue means adapted to extend between the ribbon tongues, into the perforations, wedging the ribbon tongues apart slightly, the ribbon tongues being laid flat against the top of the pile, the plate being positioned on the flat laid tongues, the tongues being bent back over the plate and the tabs folded down over the tongues, forming a secure binding.

4. A binder adapted to bind a pile of loose sheets having perforations adjacent their edges into a unitary assemblage, comprising a plurality of doubled, thin, flexible metal ribbons, the doubled portion forming a flattened loop, a relatively stiff retaining bar adapted to be passed through the loops of a plurality of the ribbons, the ribbons having tongue portions adapted to extend through the perforations in the pile of sheets, and retaining means engaging the extending tongue portions, whereby the pile of sheets is securely bound into a stiffened unit.

5. A binder for a plurality of loose leaves each having perforations along an edge comprising a '1 flexible ribbon-like member having a bottom portion larger than said perforations and two sides adapted to extend through registered perforations of said loose leaves, a retaining member having an enlarged top and a downwardly projecting tongue inserted between the two sides of said ribbon-like member, the top of said retaining member having a foldable tab, the top of the ribbon-like member folded over the top of the retaining member and the tab of the retaining member folded over the top of the ribbon-like member.

EDWARD E. USHER. 

